I woke again as I heard voices. Dave and Diane were speaking, but too softly for me to hear. I turned my head so I could look down. Dave got up to walk around the far trailer. Diane stood with a sigh and looked towards the forest and started walking. I debated internally before sitting up and calling very softly, "Diane?"

No matter how quiet my voice was, she always seemed to hear me. She paused and turned, "Yes Laura?"

I hadn't heard her come back. Dave was getting onto the trailer that he slept on. He seemed really sad. Diane's eyes were glowing with their normal light, even though Dave was still up. I quietly climbed down the ladder in my purple pjs, "Why is Dave sad? I saw you speaking with the riders on the road. What is wrong?"

I knew that I had missed several other discussions, perhaps she would bring me up to speed. I was also confused as to why she wasn't coming to bed. Diane looked down the road, "Let's walk over to that rock that Ace was sitting on and I will tell you."

I nodded and took her hand while she guided me down the pitch black road. Her eyes were the only thing I could clearly see. She started speaking quietly as we walked, "Ace was out here to warn me that many people inside the fence are scared that I was infected or that I might be carrying a mutated virus. They won't let me go inside the fence. The Base Commander and other Commanders were unable to talk sense into them."

She sighed, "I am going to head west and see if I can find that medical research center that is supposed to be there. Maybe they can tell me what happened since we know that something has changed since I was bitten. You are welcome to stay in the base with Trish, Nancy, or anyone else. Dave and Matthew both said you are welcome in their groups. You can also join me if you want, but I don't know what the future holds for me."

I already knew which path I would take if I had the chance. "I am going with you. I don't get it, you haven't hurt anyone who didn't try to hurt you first. You even moved to the treehouse to make them happy earlier. Why are they scared now?"

She shrugged, "We don't know. I might return in a year or two and see if things have calmed down."

I couldn't really see why people found Diane so scary. Then again, I wouldn't try to kill someone because they were different, but several inside the Fort were doing just that.

Diane looked up and pointed, "Ace was bringing Trish out to say goodbye and there they are."

I peered down the road, but I didn't see anything. It was probably around midnight, so it was really dark. I suspected that Diane's glowing eyes could see far more than I ever would. "I don't see them..."

"They are in the distance and it is dark out. Why don't we walk over to meet them?"

Some days I wondered if she read my mind. I smiled up at Diane and nodded, "Sure."

It would be nice to see Trish one last time until we came back in a few years. I continued to hold her hand as we walked down the road. Once we got much closer I could see them. Trish ran over to throw her arms around Diane, "I can't believe you have to leave!"

Trish had to have noticed her glowing eyes, but obviously didn't care. It was just as obvious that Trish was going to miss us. Diane hugged her back, "We wondered if this would happen. I will send back letters if I ever find a trustworthy trader. I will try to come back in a few years as well."

Trish shook her head as she stepped back, "Hopefully Dave will be able to find you later on. I am going to miss you. Shoot, I will even miss all those pranks you played on me."

Diane chuckled, "Don't tempt me to sneak back into the base to booby trap your door one last time."

Trish chuckled weakly, "Ace told me that you were planning on heading west to a medical research center?"

Diane nodded, "That is the idea."

She shook her head, "What if they hold you hostage?"

Diane grinned as her eyes flashed brighter for a second, "Then I will play dirty to escape and go somewhere else. If you don't get a letter in three years then you can start to worry."

Diane's eyes distracted Trish. She looked at them, "I somehow don't recall seeing your eyes glowing like that before."

Diane chuckled, "I am able to dim them if I choose, but I decided there is no point in hiding it from you at this point in time. You actually did see them glowing once."

Trish looked confused and then her eyes widened, "That was when the picture of your friends got torn! I thought it was just a trick of the light."

Diane smiled, "Yep."

Trish looked over at Ace, who was standing just off to the side quietly, "Did you know her eyes could glow?"

Ace merely grinned and I giggled at his silent response. We visited for a bit before Ace guided Trish back to the Fort. It didn't take long for me to lose sight of them.

Diane looked down at me, "Let's go get some sleep, tomorrow morning is going to come early."

I nodded and Diane led me back. I wasn't sure what tomorrow would hold, but one thing was certain. I was following Diane.

I woke once more to the smell of frying fish. I changed inside of my sleeping bag and went down. Joel was helping to cook the fish while Diane was working on a huge stack of flatbread. I had never seen her cook that much flatbread before.

The others swiftly came down and helped us make short work of the wonderful smelling and very tasty breakfast. Soon the fish was only a memory, although there was lots of flatbread and greens left.

Joel leaned back with a sated sigh, "Ohhh... Now I think I am too full to move."

Sandy laughed, "How many pieces did you eat?"

Joel contemplated it for a moment, "More than last time."

Several people chuckled or shook their heads. Joel loved his fish. Jake groaned and rubbed his own stomach, "Now I know why you ate so much fish the first time." He glanced at Dave, "What are our plans for today anyways?"

Dave sighed, "Pretend you don't know this later on, but it looks like a bunch of people in the fort have lost their minds. They think Diane is infected and won't let any of us inside the fence. We are being kept outside the fence for three months to prove that we aren't infected and that we are not going to change."

Jake snorted in derision, "And what is that going to prove? Diane was bitten a long time ago, if she was going to infect anyone the entire base would be infected by now."

Dave looked at Diane in silence, unsure of how to break the bad news to his group. Jake frowned, realizing that he was missing something. Jake looked between the two of us, "What?"

Diane looked at Jake, "Several in the base will never let me inside the fence without attempting to shoot more arrows at me. I am not sure what insanity has passed through their heads, but most of the base is of the same mind. Even the Commanders can't stop it, it is too wide spread. So as soon as Matthew brings me a horse, I am going to be heading down the road."

Several sat up from their reclining positions in surprise or shock while others gasped. Diane looked around at them, "By the way, the public story is that I stayed at the village with Laura. Oh, and you know nothing about all of this. When the sentries stop you, look surprised."

Joel looked concerned, "What? Why?"

At the exact same time Nick spoke, "Where would you go? What are they thinking?"

Diane shrugged, "I plan to head west to that research center we heard about. I have no clue what is going through their heads, but I think someone is using fear of the unknown to stir the pot. I have no desire to be dodging arrows a dozen times a day and rumor has it that there is also a gun in their arsenal. I'll send a letter back occasionally if I can and perhaps come back in a few years to see if something has changed."

They all looked at her in shock before they all started trying to talk at once. Diane turned to look down the road. I followed her gaze to see a rider on horseback leading a second mount. I recognized Matthew's favorite mount as well as the grey gelding that Diane had asked for.

Matthew dismounted as he reached us. He passed Diane the reins to the gelding, I recognized the dappled grey horse. Matthew had ridden it a few times, its name was Smokey and he had a sweet spot for clover. She nodded her thanks, "Thanks. I am going to miss you guys. Tell the others when you get a chance."

Matthew gave her a quick hug, "Travel safe. If things get bad, come back. We can hide you out in the forest if we need to. You could easily join Dave's group as an invisible member of his group when he is away from this place, which is most of the time. We just need to wait out those three months."

Well, at least we had a backup plan if everything else failed. I could tell that this goodbye was hard on Matthew. Diane nodded, "I will remember. It will likely take me most of the summer to find this place, so if I do return, I will likely do so in the spring. If you see blue glowing eyes in the darkness, you will know it is me." She grinned, "In other words, don't shoot at me."

Matthew grinned shakily and stepped back, "Make sure you whistle as you approach, otherwise you tend to scare the jeebers out of us at the best of times." Diane's silent footsteps were a nightmare for a Forager in the field.

Diane chuckled, "I will do that."

He sighed, "Well, I have to get going before I am missed. Travel safely."

She nodded, "Take care of yourself and keep an eye on Trish and Ace for me too."

Matthew nodded as he swung into the saddle of his horse and looked at me, "Take care of her Laura. Make sure she doesn't take too many risks."

That was a huge responsibility. I wasn't sure I was able to manage it, but I would try. I nodded solemnly, "I will. It won't be much work though since she is almost paranoid about my safety on the trail."

Matthew chuckled as Diane glanced at me in amusement. He waved his hand, "Farewell for now."

We waved back and watched him ride off. I looked at Diane's face and I knew that she would miss her friends here. There wasn't much of a choice for us though, we couldn't stay here safely. Both of us knew it.

Smokey shook himself briskly, full of energy. Diane turned to the horse with a grin full of mischief, "I heard rumors that you had the most energy out of all of the horses in the stable. We are going to put that to the test."

Nick snickered, "Best of luck to you Smokey. We never managed to tire her out and we had over two weeks to work on it."

I laughed as Diane grinned amidst the laughter and chuckles from those around us. I had heard rumors of how hard it was to settle this horse down due to his restlessness, but I somehow suspected that he had finally met his match with Diane.

I helped Diane pack our two backpacks and the two saddlebags. We were only taking the essentials and the bare minimum. Before I knew it, everything was packed and ready to go. It was only 8am.

Diane helped me up into the saddle. She was going to jog beside Smokey while holding his lead rope. With one last wave goodbye, we turned and headed down the road. Neither of us turned back. It would hurt too much to look once more upon friends whom we might never see again.